The Invisible Man (later known as H.G. Wells' Invisible Man) is a British science fiction/adventure/espionage television series that aired on ITV from September 1958 to July 1959. The series was networked on CBS in the United States. It ran for 26 half-hour black-and-white episodes for two series and was nominally based on the novel by H. G. Wells, one of four such television series. The deviation from the novel went as far as changing the main character's name from Dr. Griffin to Dr. Peter Brady who, in this version, remained a sane man, not a power-hungry lunatic as in the book or the 1933 film adaptation. None of the other characters from the novel appeared on the series.

The series follows the adventures of Dr. Peter Brady, a scientist who is attempting to achieve invisibility with light refraction — a completely different technique than the protagonist of the novel utilized. However, the experiment goes wrong and turns him permanently invisible. He is initially declared a state secret and locked up, but eventually convinces the UK government, represented by Sir Charles Anderson, to allow him to return to his laboratory and search for an antidote ("Secret Experiment"). Almost immediately, British Intelligence recruits him for an assignment ("Crisis in the Desert"), but soon security is breached ("Behind the Mask") and he becomes a celebrity ("Picnic with Death"), consequently also using his invisibility to help people in trouble, as well as solve crimes and defeat spies for his country.

* This is how the character is credited on the rear sleeve of the Network DVD release. Billed in on-screen closing credits as simply The Invisible Man, with no actor's name listed.** In the unaired pilot episode The Invisible Man, the character's first name was Jane, but this was changed to Diane — or "Dee", as Brady himself usually refers to her — for the series.

In the unaired pilot, which bears the on-screen episode title "The Invisible Man" (but is often wrongly referred to as "Secret Experiment"), Canadian actor Robert Beatty provided the voice of Peter Brady. After Ralph Smart, the creator, saw the pilot, he realised that he could not use it. The bandaged hero could be seen bumping into doors and scenery, the strings which animated moving objects could be seen in a number of scenes. Although this Invisible Man was never transmitted, plot elements and footage from it were reused in the episodes "Secret Experiment", "Picnic with Death" and "Bank Raid". The Invisible Man pilot is included in its entirety on the Network DVD release of the series.

A second pilot episode titled "Secret Experiment" was made, and was used as the opening instalment of the series. This featured Dr. Peter Brady (who is only ever seen obliquely), who is unwittingly subjected to radiation and turns invisible. While Brady searches for a cure to restore himself to normal, he also acts as an agent for the British Intelligence services. The original ITC press book states that "Secret Experiment", the second episode "The Locked Room", the fourth episode "Crisis in the Desert" and the fifth episode "Picnic with Death" should be shown first by any TV company; however, this directive was ignored by UK and US broadcasters leading to episodes in which Brady's invisibility is known about by the public, such as "Behind the Mask", being screened before its reveal in the episode "Picnic with Death". In these earlier episodes, the public does not know that Brady is invisible, and he wears bandages and sunglasses (as well as gloves) when he appears in public, but the episode "Behind the Mask" has a foreign industrialist with influence who tricks Brady into making him invisible too in an attempt to assassinate his country's new ruler. Subsequently, in "Picnic with Death", a motoring accident fully exposes Brady's invisibility, to the point that he is besieged by the Press. The same bandages Brady uses when out in public help fugitive convict Joe Green (played by Dermot Walsh) in the episode "Jailbreak" to escape the police when they thought he was Brady.

As a publicity gimmick, the actor playing the Invisible Man himself was never credited, either on-screen or in TVTimes, but Johnny Scripps played Brady without the bandages, i.e. apparently headless but otherwise dressed. Being a little person, he was able to see through the buttonholes in Brady's coat. Tim Turner provided Brady's voice, also without on-screen credit, using a transatlantic accent in order to help ITC sell the series to the United States.

The various 'actors' playing Brady's body remain unknown to this day, apart from Tim Turner whose identity was revealed in 1965 (the series was still being repeated regularly up until 1966). In later episodes, Tim Turner both played and voiced Brady — as press cast list handouts from 1959 clearly show.[2] A number of different 'actors' portrayed Brady throughout the earlier episodes, particularly noticeable in the episode "Play to Kill" where a slim Brady changes into a stocky version in exterior scenes. Although according to Lisa Daniely: "I can't remember his name, and he wasn't really a very good actor. And they used somebody else's voice; that was the final insult — poor man. He was quite a nice looking bloke, but not a very dynamic personality."[3]

Tim Turner himself appeared visibly in the "Man in Disguise" episode, though on this occasion he played Nick, a foreign-accented villain who impersonates Brady. Among the writers recruited for the show were Ian Stuart Black, Michael Pertwee and Brian Clemens under the pseudonym Tony O'Grady. Puppeteer Jack Whitehead, who had earlier worked on Muffin the Mule, was called in to provide the brilliant special effects of the show – such as cigarettes smoking while hanging in the air and wine being drunk by an invisible drinker (The pilot episode credits "Trick Photography" by Victor Margutti).

Stuntmen risked their lives hiding in the bottom of cars, driving the vehicle while looking from a slightly open door, or in the steering of a motorbike from a sidecar, which caused members of the public to try and stop what they thought was a runaway vehicle; they didn't realise there was actually a stuntman concealed in the sidecar, steering the motorbike with duplicate controls.

On another occasion, a motorist was surprised to see a car without a driver pull up at traffic lights alongside him. A man then rushed across to the apparently empty car, pulled open the door, and then recoiled from an invisible blow. The motorist didn't know that there was a film unit present, and the man thrown back from the driverless car was actually an actor. Fortunately, the motorist was felt not to have spoilt the take, but rather had helped it — his look of astonishment at what he had witnessed was so well displayed that he was kept in the finished scene.[4]

In the second series, the camera often took on Brady's point of view, i.e. showing whoever and/or whatever the character himself was seeing at the time, which meant that the need for special effects could be cut down.

It has since come to light that two other actors played the voice of Peter Brady after Robert Beatty and before Tim Turner. Because Beatty's Canadian accent in The Invisible Man pilot was considered too harsh, "Secret Experiment" featured the softer American tones of Lee Patterson. Unfortunately, when the series was commissioned and went into production, Patterson was found to be committed workwise and so his place was taken by Paul Carpenter, a former band singer and B-feature leading man. However, Carpenter appeared to have a reputation for being unreliable as, from "Picnic with Death" onwards, Brady was voiced by Tim Turner.[5]

The first series was script edited by Victor Wolfson, for the second series Ian Stuart Black took over, having written scripts for the first series. The music for the pilot was composed by Sydney John Kay, and he is credited as the musical director for series one. Assistant directors on series one were Jack Drury (2 episodes), Peter Crowhurst (2 episodes) and David Tomblin, who also worked on all series two episodes and the pilot. Casting director Harry Fine and sound supervisor Fred Turtle also worked on both series

Experimenting on making guinea pigs invisible by lowering their refractive index to that of air, Dr. Peter Brady becomes invisible himself after a radioactive leak. Brady becomes front page news and a target for a ruthless criminal gang who kidnap Sally, forcing Brady to use his invisibility to steal £50,000 from a bank in order to pay the ransom for her safe return. Stars Willoughby Goddard, Brian Rawlinson
(Voice of Peter Brady: Robert Beatty)

(Plot elements and footage from this episode were later reused in Secret Experiment, Picnic with Death and Bank Raid. The episode also includes footage from the 1956 film Quatermass 2.)

Experimenting on making guinea pigs invisible by lowering their refractive index to that of air, Dr. Peter Brady becomes invisible himself after a radioactive leak. Brady becomes an official secret and seeks help from fellow scientist, Crompton, to make him visible again. But Crompton sees the advantages of invisibility and steals Brady's notes. Stars Michael Goodliffe, Bruce Seton
(Voice of Peter Brady: Lee Patterson)

Tricked into visiting the hideously disfigured Raphael Constantine who wants to become invisible, Brady is asked to recover a secret document which incriminates Constantine in a crime he claims he did not commit. Stars Dennis Price, Edwin Richfield, Barbara Chilcot

Tania, a Russian scientist working in London, criticises her government and is abducted. Brady comes to her aid, believing she can help him to become visible again. Stars Zena Marshall, Rupert Davies, Noel Coleman

Brady tries to prove actress Barbara Crane did not accidentally run down and kill a tramp – for which she is being blackmailed – when even she believes she did. Stars Helen Cherry, Colin Gordon, Hugh Latimer

Brady goes aboard an Iron Curtain ship in the London docks to rescue a prisoner, but discovers it is a trap using a form of radar to catch him and his secret of invisibility. Stars Edward Judd, Greta Gynt, Irene Handl.

After his bag of scientific documents is stolen, Brady is held prisoner by the man responsible, who wants him to commit a murder. The Invisible Man discovers that although his invisibility is a defence against detection from humans, it is no protection against a vicious guard dog trained to hunt him down if he attempts to escape. Stars Victor Platt, Jack Melford, Patrick Troughton, Robert Cawdron

Ellen Summers escapes from a mental institution and pleads with Brady to save her fiancée who is awaiting execution in a cell for killing a policeman. Stars Lana Morris, William Lucas, and Ian Wallace.

3

"The Vanishing Evidence"

Peter Maxwell

Ian Stuart Black

26 April 1959

When international spy Peter Thal murders Professor Harper and steals vital secrets on which he had been working, Brady is called in by Colonel Ward for help in following Thal to Holland. Stars James Raglan, Charles Gray, Ernest Clark, Michael Ripper.

4

"The Prize"

Quentin Lawrence

Ian Stuart Black

3 May 1959

Brady arrives in Scandinavia to collect a prize for his contribution to science. However, he ends up becoming involved in the strange affair of brilliant Soviet writer Tania Roskoff, who has been arrested while crossing the border. Stars Mai Zetterling, Anton Diffring, Tony Church

Identical twins Toni and Terry Trent are a popular musical act, performing for the troops on a USO tour of Britain. Brady volunteers to help Toni when Terry disappears at a Soho hotel where she had earlier witnessed a murder. Stars Betta St. John as Toni Trent/Terry Trent, Robert Gallico, Philip Leaver, Wolfe Morris

7

"The Gun Runners"

Peter Maxwell

Ian Stuart Black

24 May 1959

The British Government asks Brady to help rid the pocket-sized Mediterranean state of Bay Akim – which looks like becoming a trouble spot and a haven for gun-runners – of its ruthless dictator, Sardi. Stars Louise Albritton, Bruce Seton, Paul Stassino

Brady finds himself involved in an international drugs racket when a beautiful girl called Madeleine steals his passport in Paris, enabling her accomplice Nick to impersonate Brady and smuggle dope into England. Stars Tim Turner as Voice of Peter Brady/Nick, Leigh Madison, Lee Montague, Robert Raglan, Robert Rietti

Captain Finch is trapped in a pit with an experimental bomb detonator – invented by Brady – that has been designed to explode a bomb instantly if a shadow falls across the device. Only Brady can enter the pit to deactivate the detonator before the sun casts a shadow. Stars Conrad Phillips, Jennifer Jayne, Anthony Bushell, Walter Gotell, Ian Hendry

First series episodes are copyright Incorporated Television Programme Co. Ltd, second series episodes are copyright Official Films Inc.

Apart from ATV London, other UK Networks – such as ABC Weekend Television – screened the series as one 26-episode run between 13 June 1959 and 19 December 1959, Tyne-Tees Television screened the series from its opening night on 15 January 1959.

MPI Home Video has released the entire series on DVD in North America. The discs are in NTSC format and carry no region encoding. They are available in two double-disc sets, or as a complete, four-disc set.